Stupid is His Name and Folly is His Game

Have you ever read a story in the Bible that isn’t real familiar, but becomes one of your favorites after you have read it? Maybe you have heard the name of the Bible character many times, but have failed to read the story. Or, maybe it has been so long since you heard or read the story you have just forgotten how it went. I have that happen to me frequently. I hear a name or a reference and find that I have to go back and read the story to refresh what really happened.

I remember several years ago my wife, Melinda, and I were having a discussion. It was late and the house was quiet enabling us to have some time to just talk. I don’t really remember exactly what we were talking about but it obviously must have been concerning something we were dealing with as pastor because I made a statement that caught my own attention and I have never forgotten it. I said, “Spirits beget like spirits.” I then made reference to a Bible story.

Now Melinda and I have both been raised in Church and had excellent Sunday school teachers. Both of our fathers were very good Bible teachers. Yet Melinda said, “You know, I am not sure I know that story.” My reply was, “I can remember parts of it, but it has been so long I am not sure I know it all that well.” It isn’t a story you hear preached every week. In fact, I am not sure I have heard it preached, except the next week when I, of course, used it. What makes this even a bit more ironic is our daughter is named after the main character in the story, Abigail.

I am talking about the story of Abigail and David. The word Abigail means “source of joy.” When you read the story of Abigail you will find that her name fit her. However, let me share what we found in the story that night after I got my Bible and we read the story together. It is found in 1 Samuel 25.

David, with six hundred men is living in caves and the mountains, hiding from Saul and his army. Living the life of an outlaw means you have to live off the land, which at times can be difficult, especially with some many people. While they were in the region of Carmel they protected some shepherds and their flocks. They did this kind deed without taking anything in return. The flocks belonged to a man by the name of Nabal who the Bible describes as a churlish man which means to be cruel and obstinate pr pigheaded. His wife and servants described him as being a son or man of Belial which means wicked.

When David and his men were in need of food, David sent men to Nabal to see if they could receive some help in return for the protection they had provided his men and his flocks. Instead of kindness, Nabal was angry they would even dare to ask. He went so far as to insult David. When David’s men returned with the message from Nabal, David himself became angry. He called together four hundred of his men, armed them and set out to take what he needed from Nabal, including lives.

Now a servant heard all that had taken place and went to Abigail to inform her of the eminent danger that was headed their way. Abigail’s response was to gather provisions in hopes of making amends for her husband’s insolence. She intercepted David on the road and fell at his feet. She explained to him that Nabal was not the most intelligent person in the world. In fact she said his name is Nabal, which means stupid, and folly, or wickedness, was with him. Nabal is his name and folly is his game?

After her explanation and gift, David blessed Abigail and sent her home. He told her that he was listening to her advice. He and his men then returned to the mountains. Upon her return home Abigail finds Nabal having a big party. The next morning when he has sobered up she informs him of what she has done and the danger which she spared them of. Nabal becomes so angry he obviously has a stroke or heart attack and is in a coma for ten days before he dies.

Now comes the beautiful part of the story. When David hears what has taken place and that Nabal has died he sends for Abigail. He wants her to be his wife. She shows, again, a sweet spirit in accepting this offer.
What I had noticed in the story was the reactions of the different people to the attitudes or the spirits of others. Let me give you examples.

• David shows kindness to the herdsmen of Nabal and they in return show kindness to him
  
• Nabal is angry, for no apparent reason and the response from David is anger also.
  
• Abigail blesses David, showing a repentant and humble spirit. David reacts with repentance and blessings. He was going to kill Nabal and changed his mind.
  
• David shows a sweet and caring spirit to Abigail in asking her to be his wife. She responds again with humbleness.
  

I have found this principle to hold true in my relationship with people. I have found myself reacting to the anger of other people with anger myself. Later I would wonder why I am angry. I have also found myself responding to a kind sweet spirit with kindness on my part. Spirits begat like spirits!

So why am I bringing this out? I don’t know do you ever have to deal with attitudes or spirits that bring you to the brink of frustration? Do you ever have situations that you are dealing with and you are wondering why everyone involved always end up angry and there is no resolution? Could it be that spirits are bearing like spirits? Could you be causing anger in the people you are dealing with because of your anger? Could you be responding in anger because of their anger? The answer to these and other interesting questions inquiring minds want to know!

Let’s take some lessons from Abigail. She defuses a very volatile condition with simple submission and humbleness. She did not justify the wrong in any way. In fact she called it as she saw it, “The man is stupid, his name says it all!” But she was humble and repentant, she was sorry for the actions of Nabal. In response, even though he had murder in his eye, David the giant slayer is stopped without a bowstring being drawn or a sword brandished.

What would happen in our marriages if we responded with that type of a spirit? You say that you are in the right. A man wisely said, “Do you want to be right or do you want to be happy?” Abigail is the one who was mightily blessed in this whole turn of events. She is the one who ended up marrying the King. If I can just keep my spirit right what could happen?

When I have done wrong, or had wrong committed against me, what would happen if I humbled myself in repentance? Repentance both to God and the other person involved. I know, maybe I was justified in man’s eyes! I know, maybe I was the one who was done wrong! But that isn’t real the question! The real question is this “Is being right or justified worth the loss of a friend or the relationship of a loved one?” Spirits beget like spirits!

How much more effective could we be in reaching the “unchristian” if we have a sweet and humble spirit? I have seen so often an attitude of superiority even arrogance, because we know something they don’t know. Actually our attitude should be that of humbleness because we have been so blessed to have the Truth of the Word of God revealed to us. God has asked us to be His Bride how humbling to receive such an honor! Humbleness isn’t being a mouse, humbleness is recognizing your position in response to the position you have placed God and others in. It is having our priorities correctly placed.

This comes back to the Golden Rule, “treat others as you want to be treated!” If I was in their place, how would I want me to act or react? Doing so will go a long ways to bringing about the results I desire in this situation. Why? Because spirits beget like spirits!

Stephen could have became angry, justifiably so. However, he prayed for those who were murdering him and Paul was converted. Jesus could have called a legion of angels, or more, and destroyed all those who desired to kill him. Instead, he reacted with love and mercy! You and I are the result. Nothing strengthens a relationship more than love and mercy!

Just a thought!

God Bless!

If He Wants To Go To Hell Just Let Him

My wife reminded me of an interesting event, or series of events, that took place in the history of our families. It is amazing how a story triggers the memory of another story. Just a few words that Melinda said brought back to my mind something that was very life impacting, not only for those directly involved, but for hundreds of other people.

I first met my wife, in 1963. That is correct, I was seven and she was three when we met. I would love to say it was love at first sight, but I cannot. We have now been married over thirty years. However, I have never forgotten the occasion we first met.

It was outside of the Fresno, California First United Pentecostal Church, which at that time was located on the corner of Harvey and Thesta. It was a large old building with a basement. It was in the basement that the Children Churches were located. I say Churches because there was actually two. Each was for a different age group. There was a door coming out of the basement with stairs leading up to the sidewalk on Thesta St, which ran along side the Church.

The Fresno Church, which is now Truth Tabernacle pastored by Elder Vaughn Morton, was pastored by the late Brother Murray Layne at that time. My father was Brother Layne’s assistant pastor. As the assistant he helped the pastor any way that he could.

This particular Sunday morning I came out of Children’s Church and Mike Power Sr. had lined all four of his children up along the curb. Margie had gone to the Baptist church and they were waiting for her. Now Mike wasn’t a happy camper. Michelle, Maureen, Michael Jr. and Melinda were lined up in that order, oldest to youngest, and they were all crying for their mom, who hadn’t showed up yet.

Mike was a new convert. He had just left the Baptist church because in his Bible studying God had revealed His oneness to him. Margie had yet to make the change, but did so not long after Mike. When Mike realized he needed to be baptized in Jesus Name he asked to be re-baptized. He knew he had to be baptized in Jesus name as directed in Acts 2:38. For some reason Brother Layne was unable to baptize Mike and so Brother Layne asked my Dad to fill in for him. A connection was made between the two men which lasted for many years.

Mike was a very sincere young man. He studied the Bible, not just reading it, but really studying it. I won’t go into a lot of the “wherefores” and “be causes”. Just let it be said that for the first four or five years of his walk with God Mike had a hard time living for God. Mainly it came down to not being able to be as good as he thought he should be. This would cause him to become discouraged and decide to quit.

There would be times when Margie would come to church with just the children. Dad would ask her where Mike was and she would reply that he was at home. Dad would get in the car and drive to their house. He would talk with Mike for a while and then, most of the time he would bring him to church. This went on for about a year and a half.

In September of 1965 Dad felt called to pastor a church in Rio Dell, California. This is a lumber mill town on the north coast. It was a small town and a very small church. There was actually only one member, a seventy-five year old man named Burl Horn.

Every service Brother Horn would raise his hand and say, “Pray for my family.” None of his family, children or wife, lived for God. Yet every service that was his request and prayer.

We had been in Rio Dell for about four months. We were living in three rooms in the back of the church. It was a late cold wet winter night when a knock came on the back door of the church. When Dad opened the door he found Mike Power standing at there.

Dad invited him in and in the course of the conversation asked him why he was there. Mike told us the story. He had been having a hard time living for God. In fact it had gotten so bad that he and Margie had split up. He had left Fresno on a freight train. He was headed toward San Diego going to a place he didn’t even know, just getting away. While riding the freight, he began to pray. God spoke to him and told him if he would go to Rio Dell God would help him get his family back together. So there he was.

God worked miracles immediately for Mike and Margie. The next day he went to work for the lumber mill in the neighboring town. It was a well known fact if you wanted to go to work in that mill you had to show up at their office every morning for about three months or more before they would hire you. Mike was hired the first day. It was pretty difficult to find a house in that town. My cousin had just moved out of a house and it was still empty. So right away Mike was able to secure a house and find a job. On March 1, 1966 he returned to Fresno and moved his family to Rio Dell.

The next two years were difficult for Mike. He was still fighting the same battles. There were times Dad would go down to their house and talk and pray with Mike and get him back in church.

I will never forget one night, it was late. We had all gone to bed and there was a knock on the door. I heard Dad get up and get dressed and answer the door. From my bedroom I heard him greet Mike. Mike came into the living room, I heard this from my bedroom, and laid his church keys on the coffee table. I heard him say, “I quit! I just can’t do this, I can’t make it!” I went to sleep that night listening to my Dad talking and encouraging Mike that he could live for God. I heard him reaffirming that God loved him and would help him if he would allow Him to. Mike never gave up on God. Dad never gave up on Mike. God never gave up on either of them.

I remember getting into the car after church one night. We had been to a revival at a neighboring church. Dad was very hurt and upset. David, my brother, and I had learned that if we would be quiet and act like we were asleep, mom and dad would talk. That night Dad, with tears in his voice, told Mom what the pastor of the church we had just visited had said to him. He said, “If Mike Power doesn’t want to live for God, just let him go to hell! Quit wasting your time on him!”

Well Dad refused to give up! Mike refused to give up! God refused to give up! It wasn’t long after this that Mike stabilized in his walk with God. There was a dramatic change.

In the summer of 1969 Brother Burl Horn went home to be with Jesus. Dad was visiting this dear old warrior of the faith in the hospital just days before his death. Sitting with him in the hospital room was his youngest daughter Jean Daniel. Brother Horn called Jean over while Dad was there and made her promise that she would take a home Bible Study. It was her last promise to her father.

Over the next several months after the death of Brother Horn there were several life changing events that happened in the life of Jean Daniel. They all, combined with her promise, lead up to her and Will, her husband, taking a Bible Study.

About two or three weeks into the Bible Study Will’s brother and his wife, Slim and Rose Daniel asked if they could join the study. It started all over. About two or three weeks into the study Peggy King, a friend of the Daniel’s asked if she could sit in the study. They started over a second time. About two or three weeks into the study, David Daniel, Slim’s fourteen year old son, asked if he could sit in on the study. They started over a third time.

The Sunday before Christmas 1970, Mike Power, the teacher of the Bible Study led seven new people into Sunday morning service. On New Years Eve he rejoiced as six people were baptized in Jesus Name for the remission of their sins. A few weeks later all of them received the Baptism of the Holy Ghost during a revival.

From that Bible Study alone there are scores of people living for God. Jean Daniel has taught literally hundreds of Bible Studies over the past thirty eight years. Slim Daniel has picked up hundreds of boys and girls, men and women on Sunday School Buses and brought them to church. Rose Daniel has taught scores of Junior Boys and Girls in Sunday School, one of them is now my wife.

Mike Power went on to be my Sunday School teacher for the next six years. Every time I went up a class, so did he. He helped me to have a love for the word of God. He helped me to learn to love the things of God. He was my youth leader when I started to preach at the age of thirteen. It was Mike Power that asked me to preach my first youth service. He became the Assistant Pastor and right hand man.

Mike Power taught many more Bible Studies. It seemed like for a while, every one that started coming to our church was taking lessons with Jehovah Witnesses. They would try to get them to leave them alone and they kept coming back. Mike would be there the last time they would come and when he finished showing them scripture they would leave permanently. He was one of the most knowledgable Bible Teachers that I have ever known.

Today, Mike Power has been gone for twenty-six years. Yet the impact that he has had on lives hearing the Gospel is still happening. He has a son and daughter in law who are very involved in ministering in their local church. He has a son in law who is an ordained minister of the gospel. His daughter is involved in music ministry. He has a grandson and granddaughter in the ministry. Several of his grandchildren are living for God. All are involved in winning souls to the Lord.


Many of the people he taught Bible Studies to have taught others. They have discipled and won souls. Brother Horn’s prayer request was answered through the efforts of Mike Power.

When my wife mentioned to me that her family would not be living for God if it hadn’t been for my Dad a memory was awakened. I was reminded of something my Dad told our family when he told us we were moving to Rio Dell. He said God had given him a scripture which he shared with us, “Ps 142:4, “I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul.”

He told us the question came to him, as if God were asking it, “Do you care enough to go?”
God planted a caring heart in a preacher. Because he cared only eternity will tell how many souls were influence by the Gospel.

I have been tremendously blessed to have two men who were Godly, God fearing, God loving, Bible believing and preaching, people loving men in my life. The wonderful thing is one was my Father in Law and the other was my Father. Both of them made the name of the Lord known to all generations.

God Bless!

How's Your Hearing?

Several years ago I was given a new Bible by a Bible Book store that I frequented. It was newly published and they wanted local Pastors to check this new Bible out and give them an opinion about it. Well, I am a big book fan and a bigger Bible fan, I have a small collection of each, so readily accepted the offer. I am a bigger fan of free!

I took the Bible home and at my first opportunity excitedly sat down and began to read. I first went to favorite passages and read each of them. I then just began to thumb through it and read different passages that caught my attention. In doing so, I came across a passage that surprised me. I quickly picked up my worn King James, Thompson Chain to verify what I was reading. Although I had read the passage many times and had even used it in different messages I had never seen it on this wise.

For many months I had been seeking God to know more of Him. In this time and endeavor God had been instilling in me a greater love for His Word. He had awakened an appetite to learn all I could of Him. He had been showing me that if I didn’t have a great love for the Word of God I could not have a great love for Him because He and His Word are inseparable.

During this time period I had several friends, along with others that I had known and respected, who had walked away from the Truth they had once held and preached. I am not talking about adjustments but I am referring complete rejection of these Truth. The question had often come to my mind, why was this happening. The prayer had often come from my heart to my lips, “God I want to protect my love for Truth, show me how to keep this from happening to me.” When I read the above referred to passage I felt God had answered my prayer and given me some insight and direction for my life.

Jesus is teaching on the seaside. He is giving good, basic instructions to His followers. These were instructions that dealt with the basics of a relationship with God. He talks of the Kingdom of God and the importance of the Word of God in our lives. While sharing these principles he makes a statement which is what caught my attention, let me share:

“If any man have ears to hear, let him hear. And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given. For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath.” (Mark 4:23-25)

Now, before I talk to you about what I felt God showed me in this passage, let me share this from the Bible that I was reading when it caught my attention:

“Anyone who is willing to hear should listen and understand! And be sure to pay attention to what you hear. The more you do this, the more you will understand — and even more, besides. To those who are open to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But to those who are not listening, even what they have will be taken away from them." (Mark 4:23-25 NLT)

What a powerful statement. We are often told to listen. We are often told to take heed how we hear. We are often told that when we give we will be blessed in receiving. However, I had never connected all of these together. I had never noticed, before this time, Jesus links listening, understanding to a closer relationship with Him.

In fact Jesus tells us to be willing to listen and understand. We need to have a hunger for the Word of God. We need to have a desire to learn more of Him through His Word. We need to be careful and give close consideration to what we are hearing. Along with these instructions there are some assurances or even promises, notice:

1. The more we listen, understand and pay attention the more we will understand.
2. By being open to His teachings He will give us more understanding.
3. By not being open to His teachings we will lose what we have already learned from Him.

When I had read this and spent some time thinking on it, I became very thoughtful in my soul. I came to realize that God was answering my prayer and question at the same time. He was assuring me that if I wanted to know Him better and wanted a greater relationship with Him it would come through a desire for His Word. By loving His Word and learning of Him I would acquire a greater understanding of Him. How awesome! This was an assertion there was a way to get closer to Him and that was through His Word.

The answer to the question of why people were walking away from the Truth they had once embraced was also given. It was simply that somewhere along the road they had lost their love for Truth, for the Word of God. Because they were not careful how they heard, they lost what they had. Because they didn’t have a hunger and desire for the Word of God, the Truth they had received was gradually removed from their lives. Let me give you an example of a couple of passages of scripture.

In 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 Paul warns us that in the last days before the second coming of God we should be very careful to guard what we are hearing. Caution should be used in what we embrace as Truth. If we fail to love Truth, God Himself will send a great deceit that they would believe a lie and be damned.

There is a very sad and shocking story shared with us in the closing chapter of 1 Kings. Jehoshaphat, king of Judah has joined forces with Ahab, king of Israel against their common enemy Syria. Before going into battle Jehoshaphat asks for a prophet of the Lord to give them direction. Ahab calls his prophets but Jehoshaphat wanted a prophet of the Lord. Ahab said there was only one around but didn’t like the man because he never had anything good to say to him. However, it being insisted, he sent for Micaiah the prophet.

The prophets of Ahab all prophesied Israel would route the Syrians and win the battle. When Micaiah was brought before the Kings, he was instructed by the messenger to likewise say good things. Micaiah did as the others and said good things but was rebuked and told to say what God had told him to say. He told this story, please pay attention it is very sobering: “God was having counsel with the host of heaven and He asked who shall persuade Ahab to go to Ramoth-gilead that he might die there, as had been prophesied? Several came before Him with suggestions until a spirit came before the Lord and said, ‘I have a way to persuade him! I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ The Lord said that would persuade him and the Lord put a lying spirit in the mouths of the prophets of Ahab.” Ahab believed the prophets, disguised himself and went into battle. A random arrow, shot into the air, pierced his armor and killed Ahab in that battle. He died just as prophesied, because he did not love truth, but loved what made him feel and look good.

Without a love for Truth we will be destroyed. If we fail to take heed to how we hear, we are seeking destruction. This is not a time to walk away from the Truth of the Word of God. Today is a day, more than any before, when we need to embrace Truth, we need to love Truth.
I desire a greater love for Truth. I desire and purpose to be careful to what I listen to. God give me a greater understanding for your Word and a greater knowledge of you!

Just a thought!

God Bless

Friends Visit With T.E.A.M. Ministry

Melinda and I were blessed with the opportunity to meet some more friends of TEAM Ministries. Reba Smith and her husband Scooter stopped by along with their sons Nathan and Ashton. The family was on their way to Branson, Missouri for a family vacation.

We all enjoyed a wonderful time of fellowship and getting acquainted. We have been friends with Reba and Ashton on Everyone's Apostolic which is a social network and this was our first time to meet in person. What a blessing to have such wonderful friends.

God Bless this family!

The Sickness Whereof He Died

Have you every heard something said that impacts you so profoundly you still remember it many years later? I don’t mean remember it in a way where you say, “Oh I remember something about that. “ I mean, remembering it so vividly that you remember exactly where you were when it was said. You remember the day, time and everything else about it. You can see it in your minds eye as if you were still there. Several years ago this happened to me and I have never forgotten what was said.

It was a Sunday morning in July of 1990. My family was on vacation and we had stopped to visit some close friends. We were in services with them that day and setting in the Adult Sunday School Class. Elder Harvey Cantrell was pastor of the Church we were visiting in Hanford, California and was teaching the lesson that day. During the course of the lesson Elder Cantrell read a passage of scripture that impacted my life. Now, in all honesty, eighteen years later I don’t remember what he was teaching that day. Nor do I remember much that was said before or after he read and made a short comment on this passage of scripture. It was the scripture and the brief comment that struck a chord in my heart.

The scripture was; “Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he died…” (2 Kings 13:14). The comment that he made was, “We will all die sometime, unless the Lord comes first. That is why sickness comes and people aren’t healed. It doesn’t mean they don’t have faith, it means that it is time…”

What made this scripture and statement so impacting to me was the fact that just a few months prior to this we had found out my father had Parkinson’s disease. We had been praying and fasting for his healing, however, he wasn’t getting better but was getting worse. I was dealing with unanswered questions in my mind and in just a few simple words God had given me an answer to my question. There are just sometimes God doesn’t heal because it is time to go home. That day God let me to know that my father wouldn’t be healed in this life. I needed to live my life accordingly.

Death is a hard subject to address for a couple of reasons. One is that very few people are around to tell us about death that has actually experienced it. Because of this it remains a mystery and we are all somewhat afraid of the unknown. The second reason is death is looked upon as the end of everything, which it is in this life. No one wants to experience death. However, I have a couple of thoughts about death that came to mind recently with this memory and I felt maybe I should share.

Death was introduced into this world because of the sin of Adam and Eve in the garden. The Bible tells us it is the curse of man, because of sin. We also know that it is appointed unto man to die. That is the end of it all for us.

There is another way that the child of God can view death. Looking at our own death or looking at the death of a loved one who is a “believer.” The Psalmist tell us in Psalms 116:15, the death of one of His saints is precious in the eyes of the Lord. This should let us know there is a different view of death for the born again child of God. In God’s opinion His saint passing on is a special event. Why? One of the reasons is God looks upon us with great value and calls us His jewels in Malachi 3:17.

Death came to this world by the sin of one, Adam. By the same token life was brought to us by the second Adam, Jesus Christ. Paul said that when we were born again we became new creatures in Christ. Those things of old are passed away and all things become new. I am in no way saying that we will never die, I have preached too many funerals for faithful saints to say that. What I am saying, however, is that we can take a different view of the death of a saint. The curse of sin was death. Yet when we are born again, that curse is removed. Jesus Christ walked into hell and demanded the keys of death and hell. Death no longer has dominion over us. It no longer rules or has authority over us. Death is no longer a curse to the saint of God, it is now precious. Our second birth has brought about that change.

I remember sitting there that morning and thinking of my loved ones who had already gone before me to meet the Lord. I thought of others I knew who were dealing with sicknesses whereof they would die if God didn’t heal them. I realized, although I was a healthy young man at the time, there might come a time when I would hear a doctors report that spelled out the end being near. I remember these thoughts going through my mind and thinking; “Isn’t that just like God, He takes sickness, tragedy and all of the other things that seem to be so bad and brings about that which is precious. He uses it to add another Jewel to His Treasury!”

Just a thought!

God Bless!

Friends Visit With T.E.A.M. Ministry

Don & Melinda Doran with Don & Kathy Davis

from St. Francisville, Louisiana

What a pleasant surprise when the phone rang and Kathy Davis said I am going to be in your area and would like to visit and also introduce you to my husband Don. We had met Kathy and Ty a few weeks back and now it was a thrill to meet and visit with Don. We were in service with them on Wednesday night and then spent the evening just laughing, and crying too, on Friday. We were so blessed and they ministered to us in such a special way. It is so wonderful to be a part of the family of God.
.

When we met up with Kathy and Don on Friday afternoon we were surprised, to say the least, when Debbie Bennett, Kathy's sister, stepped out from hiding behind Don. Debbie is a long time friend of ours on EA and we didn't know she was going to be with us, she came up on Thursday night. This was our first time to meet in person, although we have laughed, cryed and prayed together many times on EA.

Don & Melinda Doran with Debbie Bennett

of St. Francisville, Louisiana

Jared Doran with Debbie Bennett.

Both Kathy and Debbie are team members of TEAM Ministry MVPs. MVPs are Much Valued Prayers and pray for needs that are sent to TEAM Ministry. We appreciate their commitment to prayer and we were so excited to meet these wonderful folks.

Entertained by the Ambassador of the Enemy

It is 2:20 PM on Sunday afternoon, footsteps echo down the hall as Admiral Momura and Mr. Kurusu approached the office of Secretary of State Cordell Hall, for a requested meeting. The two Japanese representatives enter the office and hands the Secretary of State a decoded message from Tokyo saying, in brief, negotiations between the two nations were at an end. They were totally taken back and embarrassed by Secretary Hull’s reaction. You see, what they didn’t know is that moments before they entered the room, Secretary Hull had received word of the attack on Pearl Harbor by the same Japanese nation these men represented. That attack had happened at 1:53 PM Washington, D.C. time. In fact, they themselves didn’t even know of the attack at that time.

This picture of Pearl Harbor was
taken from a Japanese attack plane.

How like the enemy! No matter who your enemy is, they want to make you feel at ease and catch you “off guard” with their attack. The enemy of our soul tries the same tactics over and over again. He will send his ambassador to entertain us and keep us busy while he slips in the back door to destroy us.

The messenger arrived with a letter of great importance. I am shocked to receive a message by a messenger since almost all messages are sent by email or by text message now. I opened the envelope and read the message, surprised at the signatures at the bottom of the page. What could they possibly have to say to me? My surprise deepened when I read the contents as it was an invitation for coffee! Wow, who would have thought this would take place, not even in your wildest imaginations.

The invitation was from Sandy and Toby, two people who do not like me at all. They wanted me to meet them at the little Java Hut on the corner of Ono and Plains Streets. Which is not a good area of town; in fact, it is a good place to stay away from. These two men can have nothing good on their minds.

The messenger turns to leave but I stop him before he reaches the door. “Wait a moment and I will send the reply with you!” If they were going to be formal, I would as well. I would also handle this immediately since I didn’t have to think about my answer.

I sat down at the keyboard and quickly typed out the return message which read, “Ono, I won’t go! Why should I leave the work I am doing for God to be entertained by the enemy of my soul who desires to do me harm.” I hit print and as the message printed I grabbed an envelope. I gave it to the messenger, along with a tip for his efforts, and sent him on his way. The matter was all settled.

As Nehemiah refused to meet with Sanballat and Tobiah and the others, we should refuse to be entertained by the enemy of our souls. Nehemiah had purposed in his heart he was going to see Jerusalem rebuilt, no matter what the cost might be. When the enemy did their best, on several occasions, to distract him, he refused to be distracted. He refused their offers of entertainment. Ono, he just wouldn’t go to the Plains of Ono!

Satan tries his best to distract us from the work we are doing for God. He tries to get us engrossed in other things drawing our attention away from our purpose.
God tells Adam and Eve they can eat of every tree in the Garden except the tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Satan appears and asks them, “…hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?” (Gen 3:1) Suddenly the emphasis is off what God is blessing them with, every tree but one, to what God isn’t giving them, not everything.

He speaks to a young man, Cain, and tells him it doesn’t matter what he sacrifices, just make a sacrifice. He wouldn’t have dared to say, “Don’t make a sacrifice!” That was too big a step. He just said your sacrifice is as good as what God is requiring, so do it your own way.
He spoke to Saul and said you are the King why do you have to wait for a prophet? Go ahead, the people expect you to make the sacrifice.

He comes against us with partial truths, which are only lies. He tries to distract you, confuse you and destroy you. Let me encourage you to refuse to sit down for coffee. Don’t let him in your living room or office. Don’t be entertained by the enemy.

When President F.D. Roosevelt gave the news to Secretary Hull he instructed him to not let the Ambassadors know that he already knew of the attack and to quickly and discreetly send them on their way. However, Secretary Hull called it as he saw it and the two men left in embarrassment. We don’t need to negotiate with the enemy, we need to send him on his way, with a firm, “ONO, I won’t go, why should I leave the work of God while you intend to do me harm?”

Just a thought!

God Bless!

It is About Point of View

Do you fly? You know what I mean; do you fly in an airplane? To me, flying is one of the most incredible experiences I have ever had. I was flying into San Francisco on a 707 one time and we stopped in San Jose. We let off a lot of passengers there. The plane seated about 220 passengers and I doubt there were 10 people left on the plane when we took off to make the short hop to San Francisco. I will never forget and it is twenty years later, the g-force and incredible take off we had that day. It was awesome!

I am not a frequent flyer. It is only every now and then that I get the opportunity to fly. I would like to share some observations about flying that I have made. I remember my wife’s first time to fly. We were flying on a twin-turboprop commuter airplane that seated 30 passengers. Now this was my first time to be on this small of a plane and Melinda was “freaking” out just being on a plane. We were seated over the wing and I had the window seat. As we are waiting to take off, I looked out the window and notice there was a “patch” riveted on the cover of the prop motor on the wing. What really caught my attention was I could see a little bit of oil squirting out of the “patch.” Now I didn’t mention this to my wife or anyone else because I knew they wouldn’t get that plane off the ground if I did so.

However, on our return trip I noticed some things that I want to share with you. I noticed there were times when, because of the clouds, I couldn’t see where we were going. In fact all I could really see was right where we were. My vision was very limited but the pilot had assured us that his visibility from the cockpit was many miles ahead. I also noticed that as we were flying at the thirty thousand feet altitude I could not distinguish anything on the ground. In fact, I pretty much had no idea where we were. The pilot, however, seemed to know exactly where we were at all times. There was no hesitation on his part at all.

When we came into the airport I noticed the closer we came to the ground the bigger things became. At first you could barely make out the cities, then the houses, then the cars, and then the people. Just as we were coming in we flew over a golf course and you could actually see the people playing golf. The closer we got, the bigger things became.

I remember on another flight, I was flying from San Francisco to Dallas. We flew into Denver and I switched planes. The flight from Frisco to Denver was very rough. It was bad enough they wouldn’t let the flight attendants up. This plane was fairly large, and full, but was being tossed around like a kite in the wind. It was bad enough the person sitting next to me filled several “doggie” bags before we landed. When we left Denver for Dallas they allowed us to tune into the pilots radio frequency with our headsets and we were able to hear him communicate with the tower. Again, we were being tossed pretty bad and the pilot kept asking to be allowed to fly at a higher elevation so we could get above the turbulence. They finally gave him permission and we had a smooth ride.

I flew from Springfield, Missouri to Fresno, California several years ago. I was going to where my mother was living at the time and moving her to Arkansas. The day that I left I woke up with a terrible cold. I wasn’t in the air five minutes before my ears plugged from the pressure. They remained plugged until we were in Flagstaff, Arizona, elevation 7,000 feet, traveling to Arkansas three days later.

Let me try and tie this together. When I am in a plane I place my life in the hands of the pilot. I don’t have to be able to see because I trust his judgment. I don’t have to understand if the plane is leaking oil because they have checked it and know what is happening. If I will let the pilot have control he will take me from point A to point B safely. He has my safety as his concern! I need to do the same with God. I need to put my life in His hands and trust Him to get me to heaven safely. It doesn’t matter if I can see or if I understand everything, I must trust Him.

This is the USS Ronald Reagan in the San Diego Bay. Notice how small they seem. The higher I fly the more my point of view changes! There will be some pressure. There will also be some turbulence. But the closer I get to heaven the less the turbulence is going to affect me. Those things of this world that seemed so “big” to me on the ground now seemed so insignificant. Things like houses, cars, pleasures, people, all of these started to loose their importance the higher I go. They eventually become insignificant. I noticed just climbing into the plane changes one’s perspective, of everything on the ground. The closer I get to God and the more I learn of Him, the more my perspective of this world changes.

A scripture comes to mind, “They that wait upon the Lord… shall mount up with wings like an eagle…” I have to wonder if part of that meaning could be that when we bind ourselves together as one with God (which is what the word “wait” actually means) we will get a totally different point of view about the things of this life. Will the way we view things change? Will the “…things of this world… grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace?”
What would happen if we really developed a “heavenly point of view?”

Just a thought!

God Bless!

The Brown Thompson Chain Bible

I was talking to someone the other day, I can’t remember who. Time out, the bad thing about talking to so many people and getting old is you can’t remember who you told what. So then everyone thinks your losing “it” because you repeat yourself. You aren’t losing “it“, you are just having trouble keeping track of “it.” Meanwhile, back at the ranch.

I was talking to someone the other day about an old Bible that I have which belonged to my Dad. My father started preaching at the age of eighteen in 1948. He preached his last message five days before he passed away. That message was preached from his hospital bed in 1999. During those fifty one years he wore out two Thompson Chain Bibles and used a couple of others. The first Bible that I remember Dad using was a brown covered Thompson Chain. It is the only thing of Dad’s that I ever really wanted and he gave it to me a few years before he died. The cover is so worn around the edges that the leather is separated. The binding is coming loose in the back. The pages are wrinkled and marked from handling, preaching and studying.

I remember the Christmas that Mom bought Dad a new black Thompson Chain Bible. With this one she bought a case for protection. I remember him preaching from that Bible many times. It too showed the signs of much use when it was finally put into “retirement.” I could have had the choice of either Bible, mainly because I asked first. However, I wanted the Brown Thompson Chain Bible. You see there were some special memories that I have with that Bible. Let me share a few with you.

On February 12, 1952 a twenty one year old man became a soldier upon invitation from Uncle Sam. Dad was an Ordained Minister of the Gospel. This should have disqualified him automatically. He said that President Truman liked him so much he come visit anyway. Dad had flat feet and was born blind in one eye. Either one of those should have kept him out of the military, yet they took him anyway. When he arrived in Virginia for basic training the doctors examined him and asked, “How did you get in here with these conditions?” Dad replied, “It wasn’t hard at all!” At that time they wanted to send him home. He shouldn’t have been there at all. Yet Dad said, “No, I am proud to serve my country, let me stay.” He felt God had him there for a reason. They let him stay.

While at Camp Pickett, Virginia Dad was able to start a church on the base for the Pentecostal soldiers and their wives to attend. Through the years he talked to many soldiers who attended that church after he was shipped out. God had him there for a reason. He was shipped to Korea. He was in the Medical Corp and drove an ambulance. Because of his beliefs he refused to carry a weapon. He wouldn’t even carry a side arm. He walked guard duty on the front lines, but refused to carry a weapon.

Several times his life was spared by the hand of God. One time he was helping load wounded soldiers on a train just behind the front line. As he returned from the train to get another patient his commanding officer handed him a piece of shrapnel. The officer said it had landed inches behind Dad and if it had hit him it would have killed him.

The Bible Dad preached from was the Brown Thompson Chain Bible. He carried it to Virginia and preached from it there. He carried it with him to Korea and preached from it there. I remember as a young child seeing him carry it to the pulpit and preach from it. I remember him sitting and reading from it when he was grieving over the death of his father. I remember a few months later when he returned from the funeral of his young brother who was killed so tragically in an accident, he would pick up the worn Bible and read from it. It was like a friend.

In those early formative years I came to realize that it wasn’t “that” Bible that was so special. It was “the” Bible that was so special. The author and he were good friends. He could share his thoughts and sorrows with him and get Words of strength and encouragement in return. I will never forget sitting with him one night, very late. It was a few days before his passing. He had called us boys to come and talk. Actually, it should have been to come and listen. My two brothers and my son Justin were with me. Dad shared a lot of things with us that night. One thing he said I will never forget. In essence he said he didn’t understand why he had gotten Parkinson’s disease. He was younger than most people are when they get it. He didn’t understand why he had been stopped from doing what he had hoped to do with his life. He had wanted to travel and preach. He had wanted to take care of Mom and enjoy his grandkids and great grandchildren. He said there were a lot of things that he didn’t understand. Yet he said he wanted us boys to know, if just one life was touched by his ten years of suffering, it was worth every moment of it.

I came across a passage today that touched my heart. The Psalmist made this statement, “I will make thy name to be remembered in all generations: therefore shall the people praise thee for ever and ever.”
Dad made the name of the Lord to be remembered to all generations. Eternity will only tell exactly who was touched. Only eternity will reveal whose life was changed because of a man who loved and served God first and foremost in his life.

This I do know. My life is different because Dad made the name of the Lord known to me. This I do know, I have two brothers who are also preachers of the Gospel because the name of the Lord was made known to them. This I do know, he has a grandson and grandson in law that are preachers of the gospel. This I do know three of his granddaughters are filled with the Holy Ghost and living for God, actively involved in the work of God.

I am encouraged to know as I deal with the cares that life brings my way, I can make the name of the Lord known to all generations. I can do it by placing my trust and confidence in God. As I do this, the next generation will hopefully realize that God is faithful and true no matter what we are dealing with.

Yes, I picked the Brown Thompson Chain Bible because it reminded me of the God of my Father. A God whose name he made known unto me.

God Bless!

Friends Visit With T.E.A.M. Ministry

On Tuesday night November 25, 2008 we were blessed to meet some dear friends. I know that sounds different, to meet friends, but that was our first personal meeting. We had all been friends, visiting, talking, praying, weeping and laughing together through on online network called Everyones Apostolic. However this was our first time to meet personally.

Kathy Davis, Ty Duncan and Courtney Oliver from St. Francisville, Lousiana were visiting in our area for the Thanksgiving Holiday. They let us know they were close by and we invited them to worship with us and then enjoyed some good fellowship after service.

A Place Where We Meet God and God Meets Us

Don’t you love an altar? You know, one of those places where you kneel down and pray. A place where you meet God and God meets you. An altar has always been really important in my life.

I have notice that many churches no longer have the altar bench in the front of the Church. People use the edge of the platform or a pew for an altar. Other people just kneel in the middle of the floor for an altar. I don’t have a problem with this; it is just a little different from the way it was when I was growing up in Pentecost. We had an altar bench.

When I received the baptism of the Holy Ghost, at age eight, it was at an altar bench. It was just a little high for me, but obviously it worked! Many times I have gone to the Church alone and knelt at a familiar spot at the altar bench and touched God. It was like we were sitting in the living room of my soul, just talking. I have even taken my problems and literally laid them on the altar bench and said here they are God; I am giving them to you. We have three children which we dedicated to the Lord when they were born. We stood before the same altar bench and gave them back to God, promising to raise them to love and serve Him. Yes, an altar is very special in my life!

Several years ago I was preaching a message about the altar and felt to have each family build a “family altar.” I told the church if you have one you already are using bring it. If you don’t have one, make one and bring it. We set a date and on that date each family brought their family altar to the church and we dedicated those altars, together. It was at this point that I was impacted by the fact that the altar doesn’t have to be a bench but can be anything where you meet God and God meets you. People brought chairs, ottomans, body pillows, benches and a variety of other things that they used to pray from. What a service we had that night as we committed a place as being sacred before God. A place committed to meet God and for God to meet us.

Later that year at a youth camp I directed, we decided to teach on the importance of an altar in our lives. As the craft project for the campers they built a personal altar which we dedicated in the last night’s service. My daughter and youngest son were campers that year and both made altars. When my daughter married, she had her altar and a family Bible as part of her ceremony. She had already experience the power of a family altar in her life. My son also has his and it is special to him.

It wasn’t long after this time that our oldest son began to struggle in his walk with God. His mother and I were so desperate to see him live for God. Our hearts were breaking in a million pieces. I will never forget on a particular day we each knelt together at our “Family Altar” and poured our hearts out to God. We met God there and God met us there. There have been many times since that day that we have returned to our family altar and wept for our son and God has always met us there.

I remember when my oldest grandson was born. I was so overwhelmed with love which was, and still is, indescribable. I was also frightened for his future. His parents had walked away from God. They had divorced just before he was born. I couldn’t stand the thought of him being raised in an environment that would not give him the spiritual nurture he needed. I slipped away, one morning. He was about three weeks old and Mema and Poppy were taking care of him. The house was quiet and I carried him into another room. There I knelt before my altar and made a commitment to stand in the gap and make up the hedge between him and God. I met God and God met me!

I recall several times my daughter has called us and asked for us to pray. We would make our way to the altar. We would take our daughters health and the health of the baby she was carrying and place it on that altar. We would meet God and God would meet us there. Today that baby is a strong healthy two year old boy, just full of life. It was at an altar I helped his Mother and Father as they dedicated his young life to God. They met God and God met them at the altar.

It was to the altar we ran, just recently. Our youngest son’s heart broke with the news of the tragic death of his fiancé. It was more than we could handle on our own. So many times we have taken it to the altar. There we have met God and God has met us. There we have found a peace and a blessing.

The bench has been passed on to someone else with great sentiment. In its place is the end of the couch or the side of the bed. I have found it is not necessarily the object; it is the sacredness of the time and the occasion. Jesus spoke of it as a “closet. " A time and place committed to God. An altar, the place where we meet God and God has agreed to meet us.

I am reminded of the altars of the Tabernacle in the Wilderness. The Altar of Sacrifice where Israel laid their offering before the Lord and offered it to Him, it was a type of our repentance before God. The Altar of Incense that was a type of our worship. The incense offered here emitted an aroma that filled the Tabernacle the same as our worship comes before the Lord as a sweet smelling aroma. Then there was the Mercy Seat which sat atop the Ark of the Covenant. It was here the blood from the sacrifice was applied. It was here the presence of God descended, atop the Covenant between God and Israel. It was here that Man met God and God met man!

We no longer drag a calf to be offered on an altar. Nor do we burn incense in the Sanctuary. We do not go through the ritual of placing blood on the Mercy Seat. This is all done spiritually in our lives today. We come to Him in repentance. We allow His forgiveness to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. We come into His presence with worship partaking of His Word, exalting His mighty attributes. Then we step into His presence! Then we come before His throne! Then we come to that Altar seated above His Covenant with us. That promise that he would be our God and we will be His people. The place where we meet God and God meets us!

In Exodus 20:24 God promised Israel if they would build an altar He would come there, wherever it was, and bless them. Hebrews 13:10 speaks of an altar that the New Testament Christian has access to that is different from the altar of the Old Testament, a place where we can meet with God and God will meet with us. In fact Paul tells us that we can come boldly before the “throne of grace” that altar and have confidence that God will meet us there.

Let me encourage you to build a “Family Altar.” Whether or not you want to build a bench, use the couch or the side of the bed is immaterial. What is important is to have that assurance that wherever you are and whatever the need might be you can go to that altar and God will meet you there. I am thankful for a “Family Altar!”

Just a thought!

God Bless!

Do You Have a Network?

Do you have a network? Networks are one of the “buzzwords” which we hear all of the time. It matters who you know. It matters what their connections are, who they know. Will they be able to connect you with the right people?

I recently came across an article about networking that caught my attention and caused me to do some thinking. It was titled, “Network Your Way to Success” and started off with this statement: “Any expert will tell you that networking is one of the best ways to advance your career and it’s also a good support for everyday job concerns.” The article went on to share some rules to network by, because how you network is as important as whether you network.

1. Get and early start: In other words start today. Look for opportunities.
   
2. Look before you leap: Be careful of whom you ally yourself.
   
3. Cast a wide net: Look for support wherever you can find it. Look for people who are interested in your success. In the time of crisis the more you network, the more your catch will be.
   

Several weeks ago our family went through a crisis. We had gone to sleep one night thinking life was grand, everything was fine. We were awakened early the next morning to life shattering new. There followed nine days that has changed our lives forever. It was during this time I had it reinforced in my mind the power of “networking.”

As we rushed around getting ready to leave the house, I told the family, “Give me a moment, I have to send out prayer requests!” I logged in on the computer and went to a “social network” I belong to. With a few brief words I had contacted a thousand people who were already committed to prayer! I sent another to everybody in my email address book that I knew I could count on to pray.

As we drove down the freeway we were all praying and making phone calls. We called our daughter who has an incredible prayer network. She immediately began to call and send out emails. We called my brother and he and his wife began calling and emailing. Several hundred more people began to pray. Another call went to a niece who is a personal friend of a popular Gospel singing artist. She went to his web page and within minutes several thousand people had been contacted and began to pray. Phone calls, emails and personal contacts all resulted in several thousands praying within a few hours.

The impact of the power of networking stated to sink in that night when we returned home. I knew we would have to leave early the next morning, so, although it was 2:00 AM I sat down to send out another urgent prayer request. I was so surprised to find my mailbox full of replies and forwards. These were all replies from people assuring us they were praying. The forwards came from my daughter and were assurances of prayer. I took these, copied and pasted them to a document, then printed them off. When I went back to the hospital the next morning I took them with me and shared them with the others. I repeated this everyday with a total of over sixty pages of people saying they were praying.

We counted over twenty states including Hawaii, also Mexico and Brazil from which we received responses. In addition there were phone calls, text messages and personal visits. People brought cards, financial blessings, baskets of treats and someone sent a box of Omaha steaks. There were meals prepared, thoughtful notes, pictures and kind words that showed that others were sharing your pain and cared. It all emphasized the power of networking. Unless you have been on the receiving end of something of this magnitude mere words can never explain the encouragement at a time like this.

The Bible talks about the power of networking. “And ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword. 8 And five of you shall chase an hundred, and an hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight: and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword.” (Lev 26:7-8) The power of unity and networking again is illustrated by the Preacher in Ecclesiastes 4:12, “And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”

Let me share something that impressed this so strong on my mind. I recently saw a video which was taken in the African wild. Two water buffalo were walking along a path, unaware that a pride of lions lay in wait for them just ahead. Suddenly the buffalo smelled the lions and turned and ran. The lions focused themselves on the weakest, a young calf. They leaped on him knocking him into the water. While they are attacking him a crocodile came up in the water and grabbed the leg of the calf, trying to pull him away from the lions. Several of the lions grabbed the calf and together were able to pull him out of the water and away from the lone crocodile.
Suddenly, those who were observing began to exclaim, “Look, look!” About that time into the picture came the water buffalo which had run away and with him must have been one hundred or so more buffalo. To make a long story short, the buffalo attacked the lions, tossing one into the air with their horns and ran them off. The calf ended up running off with the herd. The power of networking! The lions worked together against the crocodile, and the buffalo worked together against the lions.

I remember several years ago in a church I pastored we had a group of people that were called “The MVPs.” This stood for Most Valuable Prayers. This was a network of people that gathered to pray together for each service. They anointed and prayed over each seat. They prayed over each instrument, praying for the musicians. They prayed for each person who had an active part in the service. When the speaker began to preach, two of the MVPs would go into another room and intercede for him as he brought forth the Word of God. This is networking! Some of the most powerful services I have ever experienced in my life were the result of this network.

There were people that I knew, as a Pastor, I could call on 24/7 and all I had to do was say, “I need you to pray!” These were people who could and would touch heaven. It is networking! Networking is having contacts that can help you accomplish a desired result.

We worry so often about having the right contacts in the corporate world. We worry about having the right contacts in whatever organization we might be a part of, or even our local church. I am not saying there is anything wrong with this, in fact it is obvious in its importance. However, have we thought about the power of networking in our spiritual battles and the trials we face?

We don’t have to face the battle alone! We don’t have to walk through the valley alone. We have the promise of God that He will never leave us nor forsake us. We also can benefit from having a network of brothers and sisters in Christ that we can depend upon to pray with us about any situation. We can rely on their support and encouragement; it is the strength of networking.
I noticed from Paul’s writings he was a beneficiary of networking. Many of his letters end with Paul touching base, keeping the contact, with those who were part of his network. He would send his greetings. He would send encouragement to them. He let them know that he was in need of them and also in their debt. He also made sure they knew they were in his thoughts and his prayers.

Just a thought!

God Bless!

What is on the Coat?

Sitting here in this rocking chair, enjoying a beautiful day like today, allows a man’s mind to wonder. I can’t help be remember a very similar setting. In fact, except for the location, it was much like today. Let me share the story with you, if that is alright?

I was sitting in this same old rocking chair, enjoying a beautiful day. There was a slight breeze, gently blowing, keeping the air fresh and clean. Man’s best friend was laying along side the chair with an occasional slow brush of his tail on the porch deck and a flicker of an eye when the rocking chair would squeak. Oh this is the life, I thought! My, how good it feels to be able to relax and enjoy some quiet time.

The boys and the hands were all out working taking care of things. The boys were finally old enough and had enough experience they were able to pretty much run things around the place. All I had to do was just overseeing everything and some times play referee. This was the life I had worked for all of these years. Perfect!

The serenity of the afternoon was shattered by the clamor of hooves on the hard pack dirt of the yard. Angry shouts were intermingled with excited voices clamoring to be heard. I could hear the boys loudly exclaiming, “You tell him!” This was rapidly followed by, “No, you tell him!” Well, so much for peace and quiet.

I arose from my chair and stepped around the corner of the house to find most of my sons gathered in the yard. They were heatedly trying to determine who would approach me with whatever bad news they needed to tell me. It reminded me of when they were young boys and would argue over who told me they had somehow broken something they shouldn’t have been playing with in the first place. I had to ask myself the question, “Will they ever change?”

As I approached, the group slowly opened up as the boys began to step back. There in the hands of one of the boys was a coat. It didn’t take a second glance for me to recognize it. It was the coat I had just given their younger brother. Who, by now, I notice is not part of the group. My second look at the coat filled me with fear! Horror welled up within me! Sweat broke out on my forehead and my knees became weak. For a brief moment I was afraid I would fall, and then I quickly caught myself. Yes, it was just as I had first feared the coat was covered in blood.

The story was told to me in choked off sentences. I can see the fear and shame in the eyes of my sons as they admit to their failure to keep an eye on their younger brother in order to insure his safety. They recount to me how they noticed him to be missing and realized they had not seen him in a long time. When they searched for him, all they found was a coat covered in blood. What had transpired was obvious to all of us! He had wondered off alone and had been attacked by a wild animal. Oh, I couldn’t even begin to think of what happened after that.

My heart was broken! I was crushed! My son, whom I had loved so much, was dead. I clutched the coat, which was covered in dried blood, to my chest and began to weep wet bitter tears! I refused to be consoled! Every time I looked at the bloody coat my heart would once again break and I would again bury my face in it weeping with heart wrenching sobs!

As the days made the weeks and the weeks turned into months I continued to mourn for my son. Someone said that time heals all wounds but this was a wound time would never heal. The pain didn’t go away, it was just numbed. My only consolation was I had a son younger than the one lost and in him I placed my affection and protectiveness. I wouldn’t let him out of my sight. I refused the efforts of the older boys to take him to the fields with them so they could teach him to work. I refused to take a chance on losing this son as I had his older brother.

You can imagine how distraught I was, several years later, when the boys returned from a business trip. We had agreed on their need to go to the city and try to secure some help in order to keep the business going. Times were hard and things were looking bad. We needed all of the help we could get. However, upon their return they informed me the only way we would be able to get help was if they took their youngest brother back with them.

I was emphatic in my rejection of this absurd idea! How dare them to think I would agree. How dare the business executive they were dealing with to even suggest it? My heart was pounding in my chest! My pulse was racing! My eyes filled with tears which spilled down my old weathered cheeks as I pictured the blood stained coat I had wept over so many nights these past years. No! It wasn’t going to happen.

The boys hung their heads, shuffled their feet and muttered under their breaths. They were obvious in their discomfort. Once again I couldn’t help but be reminded of when they were young. There was little resemblance to the middle aged men they had become. They actually resembled a bunch of school boys being told they couldn’t play ball because of the window they had broken.

Finally one of them, probably the designated spokesman, explained there was no other option. They either took their youngest brother with them on their return or there was no deal. The executive they were dealing with had been adamant they were to bring their brother or no deal. He felt that he needed to talk to all of the brothers since they were all part of the deal.

After much heated discussion and almost accusing my sons of allowing their brother’s death I relented. I really didn’t have a choice. We were in a desperate situation. If it had just been me and the boys I would have held out, it would have never happened. However, the well being of my daughters in law and grandchildren were at risk as well. So I gave in with several warnings of what I would do if something happened to their youngest brother.

It wasn’t long until they returned with news. They had secured the help we needed. They, in fact, were able to secure an unlimited supply of help. However, the additional news they returned with was truly unbelievable. The man they had been working with trying to secure the help, the executive, was none other than my son who I thought was dead. He was alive and in a very prestigious and powerful position.

Well the true story came out! My older sons had been very jealous of my affection for their younger brother. When I had given him the beautiful coat they had decided to get rid of him. An opportunity had presented itself and they had been able to get rid of him. They had killed one of the goats, we had to eat the brush, and put its blood on the coat in order to make me think their brother had been killed. Now, many years later, here he was in a position to benefit his family.

As the rocking chair slowly rocks back and forth my mind replays all of these past events.
Apologies have been made and forgiveness has been given. This is a wound that time will heal. A small smile pulls at one corner of my mouth as I think of the irony of the situation. While I was weeping over goat’s blood, the answer to my prayer was on his way to the executive office. Isn’t God amazing?

As you might have recognized, this is the story of Jacob and Joseph. One amazing thing about that story, to me, is while Jacob wept over goat’s blood, the deliverer was on the way to the throne room. Storms in life will come, that is a given. What isn’t a given is how will we react to them. Will we trust God to have our best interests at heart? Will we hold to the core of the things we have hoped for, will we cling to them? Will we trust in that inner confirmation to those things we have yet to see? In spite of the storm believing God is doing what is right for us? Or will we weep over goat’s blood while the deliverer is on the way to the throne room?

Just a thought!

God Bless.

Grace and or Power?

Have you ever boasted about being weak? Not many of us have because we know that it is important in life to be strong. It is to our benefit to have power and be able to live independent lives. Yet, in our spiritual lives it is actually to our benefit to be weak. Here, take a look at this.

The Bible gives us some insight on power and weakness that we would do well to observe. Paul has a problem. We don’t know what it is, and to be honest, although there have been many debates about Paul’s thorn in the flesh, I don’t even care what it is. Not being rude, just don’t want either of us to get sidetracked. Paul has asked God for help and God answers him after three times and says no. However, God did give Paul an explanation with His answer. Listen to this:

“And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 2 Cor. 12:9

The thing that caught my attention the other night as I read this was Paul’s reply to what God said to him. Paul said he would gladly glory in all of his weaknesses so the power of Christ would rest upon him. Please stop for a moment and read the passage again. He said he would take the weakness so the POWER of God could rest upon Him.

We hear this passage quoted often. It is one of those scriptures that are only partially quoted and it comes your way when you are going through an unpleasant time. “Oh, it will be alright, remember Paul said His grace is sufficient…” like that is going to make it all go away and you will be better. Please excuse my sarcasm but I do have a problem with “Christian clichés” that are always good enough for other people but never for ourselves.

Before I digress further, let me say, the scripture is powerful and examined and used with love and care is a blessing to those in need. What I noticed in this passage that blessed me was Paul seemed to make “grace” and “power” synonymous. God said His “grace” was enough and Paul said he would take weakness so God’s “power” would rest upon him. If you read the rest of what Paul says in this passage it makes perfect sense:

” Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.”2 Cor 12:9-10, KJV

Paul is saying I take pleasure because it is an opportunity for God’s power to work in me. I am glad I am weak, so I don’t rely on my power but on God’s power. I don’t rely on my strength but on God’s strength. I don’t rely on my abilities but on God’s ability.

What I am trying to say is grace is a little more than just unmerited favor with God. Grace is that but it is also that enabling favor that God bestows upon His children. It is the power and authority to be one with Him. Not requiring that life be perfect in the way we expect it. You know, live happily ever after! However, being content with the state of life that we find ourselves in because we have confidence in the grace of God that will enable us to be victorious no matter what life sends out way.

Let me quickly share an example that I saw with my own eyes. My Father took a tumble, because of his disease, and broke his neck. The doctor’s said he would be paralyzed, probably never have use of his hands and most definitely never walk again. They recommended surgery to relieve pressure to the injured site and also in the chance it might help the paralysis. After a month in the hospital going through rehab he left doctors, therapists and nurses all amazed because he was already starting to walk and had the use of his hands. He said it isn’t me, it is my God.

We took him to church using a medical hoist much like a mechanics “cherry picker.” We would lift him out of a wheel chair and maneuver it to place him in the cab of a pickup and reverse the process at the church. Within a few months he stood up one Sunday night and walked around the church in his own victory march. He said it isn’t me, it is my God.

He asked a friend to come to church with him. The friend promised and every Sunday morning he would be at church. Why? Because his buddy who was frail and in failing health asked him to come. This friend ended up getting the Holy Ghost. He gloried in his weakness that the power of God might rest upon him. Was it easy? No! However, when he had finished his course and ran his race he did say it was worth it if one person saw the glory of God through my life.

I guess I will have to believe with Paul. When I am in the midst of affliction, when life has thrown its best at me, I don’t want to be relying on my strength. I want His grace to be enough for me! I want His power to rest upon me. Yes His Grace is sufficient!

Just a thought! God Bless

The Lion and the Wildebeest! Who Wins?

Have you ever felt just totally confused? I have! I didn’t know which way to turn or what to do. I call it being “befuddled!” I am not talking about physically not knowing which way to turn, although it could happen that way also. I am really talking about spiritually, mentally and emotionally being confused or bewildered.

Several years ago I read a book; actually I even used it for a series of Bible Studies that helped me to understand this a little bit. Now if I can remember it when those times come and use it I will be alright. The book talked about the Roar of the Lion. Let me share with you some of the interesting things I remember from the book.

One of the fiercest of all the hoofed animals in the world is the Wildebeest. They are very fast and are also quick. Their hooves are deadly weapons against an enemy. They are so fierce that even the lion is afraid of them and will not bother a healthy wildebeest. Their greatest enemy isn’t the lion or the hyena. Their greatest enemy is a little fly!

When I read this of course it grabbed my attention as I hope it is grabbing yours. You were correct in what you read; a little fly is the greatest enemy of this terrific animal. This fly actually crawls down into the ear canal of the wildebeest and lays its eggs. When the eggs hatch, the maggots crawl even further into the ear canal. They begin to eat the brain of the animal from the inside. It isn’t long until this causes the animal to be in intense pain.

What will happen next is sad, but try and picture it. The wildebeest will be eating and all of a sudden the pain in its head becomes so intense it is like the animal goes crazy. Trying to get rid of the pain they will actually suddenly jump straight up in the air and then spin around in circles trying to get rid of the pain in their heads. After a few moments they will resume their eating. Until this all happens again and again. It becomes more frequent as the flies progress further and further into the brain.

Lions are predators and will lie around the herd of wildebeest. They remain just on the fringe waiting and watching. Because of the fierceness of the wildebeest the lion will not attack a healthy alert one. So they wait for one that has become ill and weakened by the attack of the flies on their brain. When they have spotted an animal that repeatedly goes into frenzy, they creep as close as possible, watching and waiting. Eventually the wildebeest will come out of his frenzied spinning totally confused and dazed, even dizzy. This is the moment his enemy has been waiting for and with a roar the lion launches himself through the air in attack. The wildebeest is bewildered and befuddled. He is having a hard time standing. His world is spinning around. There is a loud confusing noise, a roar, but where is it coming from? He doesn’t know and then it is too late.

Let’s consider a couple of interesting things we can learn from this. We all know we have an enemy or adversary who is likened to a roaring lion, (1 Peter 5:9). Beelzebub is a Bible name for Satan. In fact, in Matthew 12:25 Beelzebub is called the Prince of devils and in Luke 11:15 he is called the chief of devils. The word, according to the dictionary, is a Latin word taken from a Hebrew word and means “Lord of the Flies.” In the Greek Beelzebub means “dung-god.” In John 8:44 Jesus called Satan the father of all liars.

Now think of this. Beelzebub, the Lord of the Flies, comes to us and whispers in our ears. He tells us lies, whispering those little “flies” into our ears. God doesn’t love us or we would be experiencing so much pain. God doesn’t care what happens to us, He could change things if he wanted to. Go ahead and sin a little, it won’t hurt. God deserves it if you sin, He hasn’t treated you right. You can’t make it! You are a failure! You are a loser! Look at all the mistakes you have made! You aren’t worthy of God’s love! Do I need to go on? Do I need to say more? There are so many lies that come from “The Lord of the Flies.” Lies he whispers in our ears. Little flies that land and creep further and further into our minds. They lay their eggs in our minds.

These eggs lay there and eventually hatch. They begin to eat away at our minds. The lies grow and destroy. It steals our spirituality, our faith, our hope and finally our life. It is just as Jesus said, the thief comes to steal, kill and destroy. That is just what Beelzebub is trying to do. The pain becomes intense, to the point it is unbearable. We are bewildered. We become confused. We are disillusioned with everything. We are dizzy, dazed and befuddled! Then in the midst of this the devil roars “like” a lion. We don’t know where the roar is coming from and we give up to his attack.

So what do we do? How can we prevent this from happening? I will have to admit I don’t have all of the answers; however, I have tried a few things that I will share with you very briefly. At a later time I will go into more detail. The first thing we must do is to resist the devil and he will flee from us (James 4:7-8). We must realize God did not give us the spirit of fear, but of love, power and a disciplined mind. (2 Timothy 1:7) Put on the whole armour of God. Stand against the wiles of the devil. Romans 12:1-2 tells us to renew our minds. Use what God has given you to protect yourself and to fight the enemy. Understand that you are in spiritual warfare (Ephesians 6:11-18). The Psalmist said with the praises of God in our mouth and a two edged sword in our hand we can conquer or enemy. When you are singing the songs of redemption and exaltation of Jesus Christ you have power with God (Psalms 149-`50). Read the Word of God! Love the Word of God! Sing the Word of God! (Ps 119:165). Sing praises with your sorrow. Yes you can be sorrowful, you have been hurt! However don’t hang your praise on the willow, pick it up and worship and praise God in your sorrow.

Just a few thoughts I hope will help someone. One passage to end with is Psalms 27:1-5. I noticed David said he desired to be in the house of the Lord, more than anything. In our time of trouble He will hide us in His pavilion. The pavilion, also known as a tabernacle, was located in the center of the encampment of the army. This is where the king slept. For the enemy to get to the king they had to pass through the whole army. What incredible protection this provided. God is promising in our trouble times we will be hid in the center of His protection (Psalms 31: 19-20; 34:7).

We are equipped to overcome! We have his love and power. We are the beneficiary of His provision and trust. All things are on our side to insure me victory. I just need to shoo away the flies and ignore the roar of the lion!

Just a thought! God Bless!

Anchor to the Cross

In the past few years we have seen the impact a hurricane can make on lives. They can be so destructive. They are strong forceful winds that come out of the sea and most times exceed 100 miles per hour.

Several years ago, so folks we knew were on their honeymoon in Hawaii when a hurricane struck. They were evacuated from their hotel to a school gymnasium. The groom climbed to the top of the bleachers and videoed the storm from a small window there. We watched as the wind literally ripped roofs off houses and then the house would collapse. We saw it turn over parked cars. While the storm was taking place, it ripped a section of roof off the gym. When this happened, the bride, who only weighed ninety pounds, was caught by two men as she was being sucked out of the building.

I was raised in the redwoods on California’s north coast. I have seen trees which were twelve feet thick and three hundred and fifty feet tall. These are trees that can be dated back to the flood and beyond. My family stayed in a motel that was entirely made from one redwood tree. I have also seen hurricane force winds blow over these giant redwood trees, completely up-rooting a tree that has stood for thousands of years, In December of 1977 a storm struck and blew down more than one hundred redwoods along a twenty five mile stretch of highway. My father rebuilt a house for some folks who had a tree drop on each end of their home.

I am a land lover; I like mountains, rivers and lakes. I don’t sail and have little knowledge of the sea other than I lived close to the ocean most of my life. I have been told, and I have no personal experience in this so I have to go on what I have heard, that if you are in a boat during a hurricane the only hope you have of surviving is, not in tying to a tree or to the peer. It is also not tying in anyway to the land. Your only hope is to anchor deep, leave the rope slack and hope for the best.

The chance is that someone is reading this and is about to get caught in a storm, a hurricane of life. The weather is brewing! The water is rising! You can see the trees bending! Perhaps the winds have already reached gale force and you are holding on for your life! Waves begin to suck your joy out to sea! Winds that begin to rip out our hopes by their roots! Rising tides that seep under the doors of our lives and cover the floors of our hearts!

You might say, “Well that is not me! I am not having any problems!” That is wonderful, my friend, but hold on because in life there are one of three situations concerning a storm. You have either just had one, are in one, or you are going to have one. It is like a friend of mine told me about motorcycle riders. He had just had a bike wreck and he said there are two kinds of riders. There are those who have had a wreck and those who are going to have a wreck. The same is true with the storms of life.

Paul tells us in Colossians 2:6-7, As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: 7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. (KJV) In other words, Paul was telling us that we need to be anchored to the Cross. When the storm comes we need to anchor deep and ride out the storm with our anchor sunk in the Cross.

One anchor point that we need to understand in the midst of a storm is my life is not useless. Many times you are tired, weary of being slapped by the waves of broken dreams. We become weary of being stepped on and run over. We are weary of trusting someone only to have that trust returned in an envelope with no return address. Beware! Weariness distorts our thinking! Weariness affects our reactions! You ask yourself is it worth it? Will it be worth the price I have to pay?

In Psalms 107 starting with verse 21 there is a description of a storm. It describes the boat being tossed up and down. It speaks of the wind and the waves. It expressed the impact of the storm on the boat and the sailors, going as far as to say the sailors walked as a drunken man. My mind instantly related because I have been there in life. To the point, in the storm, where I was so disoriented I felt as a drunk must feel, not able to walk safely.

It seemed this passage is almost prophetic of a time in the New Testament when Jesus spoke to His disciples and said let’s go to the other side of the lake. They all got into the boat carrying their gear. Some brought baggage. Others carried the leftovers of the day. Someone probably had the latest life preserver on the market. Jesus, however, got into the boat carrying a pillow. The storm came and tossed the ship about to the point these men thought they were going to die. They looked around and found Jesus asleep in the bottom of the ship on that pillow. They woke Him up and He calmed the storm. He then turned to them and said, why were you fearful, why don’t you have faith?

Now I have often wondered about that. They had faith in that they came to the master of the sea to save them. I don’t believe that is what He was referring to. I believe He was referring back to when He told them let’s go to the other side, why didn’t they have the faith they would make it to the other side and not be destroyed at sea. He was asleep on a pillow; He was telling them from the beginning, everything is going to be alright.

Jesus said, “Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.” That rest is a refreshing and also a restoration. It is recreational as if you have gone on vacation and you return renewed. God said that with stammering lips and another tongue would He speak to this people and this would be the rest that would cause the weary to rest and this would be the refreshing. When was the last time you prayed in the Spirit? When was the last time you allowed the Holy Ghost to cleanse you of the cares of this world and pressures of life. When was the last time you prayed beyond a normal prayer and entered into a Spiritual realm of prayer allowing the Holy Ghost to refresh you, allowing the Holy Ghost to rest you?

A second anchor point would be to realize that my failures are not incurable, they are not fatal. If you could do it over again you would do it differently. You would be a different person. You would be more patient. You would control your tongue. You would finish what you started. You would turn the other cheek. However, we can’t always do it over; we just have to learn from our mistakes and failures. We have to grow from there.

In Acts 13:13 we find a man who was a failure, John Mark. He was traveling with Barnabas and Paul on a missionary journey when he decided to return home. In Acts 15:36-41, his failure caused the break-up of a great missionary team Paul and Barnabas. They were starting out again and Barnabas wanted to take John Mark. Paul said no he let us down before and we can’t depend on him. This brought about a split. Barnabas took John Mark with him and Paul took Silas. How do you think John Mark felt about this? Don’t you think it made him feel like a failure?

On April 1, 1984 my wife and I accepted the pastorate of a Church, thus starting eighteen months of one of the most severe storms of our lives. In those few months all ten families moved away. They had all moved there because of the former pastor and when he left they had no reason to stay so they left. We spent almost a year teaching a couple Home Bible Studies. I performed their marriage ceremony. At the end of the Bible studies she decided she couldn’t believe in a God who would send someone to hell. We won another couple to the Lord, and stood on our porch one night and watched as they drove out of our lives, never to see or hear from them again.

We finally returned home in defeat, marked in our minds, as failures. Wondering if we would ever have a ministry or were even called into the ministry. Feeling like a failure haunts your every moment. I remember thinking I would never feel the anointing again. I honestly felt like I would never laugh again. Our ship of life was rocked, it was tossed, and I was disoriented! Yet somehow the anchor in the Cross held fast! God has blessed us with a tremendous ministry since and there are people who are living for God to day that have our finger prints on their lives.

2 Tim 4:11 shows us that failure was not fatal. Paul writes: “Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry.” (NIV) Hey, I need Mark! No he is not a failure! He has learned and he has grown and now he can help me.

It seemed like Jesus was a failure at the cross. They had turned against Him. His disciples were disillusioned and scattered. He was dead! However, the cross was the beginning of the rest of the story!

Storms come to pass, not to stay. When we are in a storm, it dominates our lives. It seems that all you can hear is the wind. All you know is the brutality of the storm. Being from California we learned some new things about storms when we moved to Arkansas. A storm hit late one Saturday night our first year in Arkansas, in fact it was the night before Easter. I went to bed thinking about the Easter Service the next day. I was not worried about a storm; actually I had no thoughts about one. A little after 2:00 AM in the morning I was rudely awakened, as was the whole house, by a fierce storm! When I awoke, all I could hear was the scream of the wind, and the long wailing cry of a distant siren. It sounded like there was a jet airplane right over our house! There was a feeling of confusion and bewilderment. There was uncertainty and fear! This California kid didn’t know what was happening. But finally, the intensity began to decrease, and we knew it was going to be all right. We had survived the storm, which we learned later was a tornado passing over.

The following morning when I stepped outside to go to church, there were things scattered everywhere. Neighbors had tree branches that were down. Another neighbor had part of his roof torn off his home. As I walked down the steps, I looked down in the flower bed along the walk and there, standing tall and straight, was a small, young flower. It hadn’t been there the day before when I had worked in the yard. It had grown during the night. It had weathered the storm. It had withstood the best the storm had to throw against it. There in the calm after the storm, it still survived as a testimony of the beauty of all of God’s handiwork. It stood because it was anchored deep.

I really feel I am talking to someone who needs to come, once again, to the foot of the cross and set your anchor deep. How long has it been since you shed tears, at the foot of the cross? How long has it been since you acknowledged your need for Jesus Christ in your life? It is time to come to the cross, for the storms of life are guaranteed to come and our only hope for survival is if anchor ourselves to the Cross!

God Bless!